Pearl

My bank holiday expedition saw me take the train across to Silverdale for a visit to Gait Barrows national nature reserve.

Top of my wish list was the Duke of Burgundy but it proved to be a quiet day despite several hours viewing their favoured woodland glades. Apparently one had been sighted at 09:30, and "there were plenty here yesterday," according to another enthusiast but there were to be no Dukes for me on this visit, so something to save for another year.

There were fritillaries though, with Pearl-bordered (main image) and fresh Small Pearl-bordered (extras) zooming along the paths and occasionally settling. There were also plenty of Dingy Skippers about (extras). All three were firsts for me, so it has to go down as a successful trip.

As it happened, most people were visiting to view the Lady's Slipper Orchids which were offering a fine display (extras). English Nature have introduced them to this site as part of their conservation programme. One specimen had been lost to theft over the winter, but hopefully they will begin to colonise the reserve.

I had thought I'd pop in to Leighton Moss before my train home, but with  sore feet and creaky knees I settled for an hour in Lancaster before heading back across the Pennines.

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Butterfly Journal 2016

13. 30/05/16 Dingy Skipper, Gait Barrows NNR.

14. 30/05/16 Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Gait Barrows NNR.

15. 30/05/16 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Gait Barrows NNR.